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Product Description
From Publishers Weekly
Bear proves there's still juice in one of science fiction's oldest tropes, the stranded generation ship, in this complex coming-of-age tale. Rien, a handmaid in a feudal society, must care for the prisoner Ser Perceval—a mutilated enemy who Rien discovers is her half-sister by an absent scion of the ruling family. Their quest for a safer home tangles with their society's own quest for safety, as the descendents of an artificial intelligence and the genetically engineered crew battle for control to save the ship from an impending supernova. Standard plot devices litter the familiar landscape: tarot, pseudo-angels, named swords with powers, and politics as a family quarrel. But Campbell Award–winning author Bear uses them beautifully to turn up the pressure on her characters, who r respond by making hard choices. And—as she did in Carnival and Hammered—Bear breaks sexual taboos matter-of-factly: love in varied forms drives the characters without offering easy redemption. (Jan.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Review
“Bear proves herself to be one of the most talented writers currently working in the field.” —Romantic Times
“Extraordinary ... exactly the kind of brilliantly detailed, tightly plotted, roller-coaster book she has led her readers to expect, replete with a fantastic cast of characters.”—Booklist, starred review
“Extraordinary ... exactly the kind of brilliantly detailed, tightly plotted, roller-coaster book she has led her readers to expect, replete with a fantastic cast of characters.”—Booklist, starred review
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Most helpful customer reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
In spite of the angel on the cover, this is closer to science fiction,
By
This review is from: Dust (Mass Market Paperback)
This book is set in a vast generation ship which is stuck with failed systems close by a binary star system which is about to go nova. The angel on the cover is a bio-engineered human who is one of the Exalt who have nano-machine enhancements in their body.I'm not a big fan of fantasy, as that genre too often is like playing tennis without a net - anything can happen in a fantasy - but the characters in this book are just as plausible descendants of the human race as many other regular science fiction books, and the book plays by its self-imposed rules. The characters are not that deeply portrayed, so this is a fairly light book from that point of view, but does explore some of the interesting philosophical questions of personal identity and the nature of power in a hierarchical society, but in a light enough fashion that this is fairly good entertainment. It also shows relationships that are a little more complex than is normal for science fiction, though again left me wishing it would go one step deeper. I actually started with the last book in the series, not realising it was a series, and enjoyed it enough to begin at the beginning by buying Dust. I bought the middle one too but haven't read it yet; I found the last one, Grail to be better than this as the ethical dilemmas were more engaging. Still, I'm going to start on the middle one Chill tonight.
5.0 out of 5 stars
I love this world.,
By
This review is from: Dust (Mass Market Paperback)
If all you had ever known was a vast colony starship, you wouldn't call it a ship; you'd call it the world. And if the ship is the world, then the ship's A.I. is God -- but God is dead, its angels are squabbling for power, and the star they all orbit around is about to go nova. Hope lies in the hands of a maimed girl knight and her long-lost sister. This is avant-garde science fiction written with the lyricism of fantasy.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta) Amazon.com:
4.1 out of 5 stars (21 customer reviews) 23 of 27 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Enchanting and original,
By Brenopa "bsmith376" - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Dust (Mass Market Paperback)
Elizabeth Bear has created a new spin on the multi-generational, planet-sized spaceship saga. Without spoiling the delicate suspense, the ship is crippled, in orbit around an unstable star system. The warring factions, who represent the officers vs engineering--must unite to save this world. The ship's Artificial Intelligences have splintered into competitive entities. The genetically altered inhabitants fight viciously over symbiont colonies of nanotech--and power tools have gained the ability speak and think for themselves. This disjointed elements must come together to ensure their survival.Sounds like the coldest of high-tech science fiction, right? Well, it is, but Ms. Bear has managed to include angels, mythology, chivalry, knights, religion and imaginary creatures such as basilisks in a completely plausable way. She has combined a faux-medieval fantasy with hard science fiction--brilliantly. Intricate, imaginative use of nanotechnology, wonderful "world-building"--I could smell and hear the sounds of the crippled ship, her descriptions were so vivid. Excitement, drama and emotional depth aplenty! I fell in love with the ship, and its inhabitants. I cannot wait for the sequel. 21 of 26 people found the following review helpful
2.0 out of 5 stars
Fabulously Creative Setting with Bland Characters,
By Margaret P. "mhp2027" - Published on Amazon.com
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This review is from: Dust (Mass Market Paperback)
"Dust" is a futuristic sci-fi set in a dying space ship, whose inhabitants have forgotten all but their current setting. The main characters are a fragment of a computer AI, a winged lady (upper class) with fantastic nano-tech, and a young woman (servant). The young woman rescues the winged lady and they escape together, hoping to avert war."Dust" presents a fascinating universe. The setting is very creative, with an innovative new idea every few pages. Unfortunately, the characters aren't very likeable and don't seem to have much personality. For example, the young woman discovers that she was abandoned by her father, and doesn't seem to care. I just didn't connect to them, emotionally. About half way through the book, I set it down and didn't feel any urge to find out how it ended. 13 of 17 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent Science Fiction,
By E. Schulz - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Dust (Mass Market Paperback)
Elizabeth Bear, in "Dust," has taken the ubiquitous 'Disabled Generation Ship' in an entirely new direction.The first installment of the Jacob's Ladder sequence reads like a mixture of fantasy, religion, and classical science fiction. The Jacob's Ladder is a disabled generation ship parked in orbit around two unstable stars. However, Jacob's Ladder isn't just a ship, its a laboratory and the whole of the world to the inhabitants. A program was initiated to force evolution of human beings, individuals who then took control of their respective sections of the world-- the bridge and engineering-- and fought. Main characters Rien and Perceval originally intend to stop a war started by Ariane Conn. However, deeper, more subtle plots come to light when Rien and Perceval realize they are being manipulated. Not only that, the stars are going supernova and in order to save the world, they may have to abandon their original quest. In this excellent offering, Bear creates angels who lie in wait to devour their brothers, strong women, a bluring between the lines of human and god raising fundamental questions such as what exactly it means to be human. The characters are fully fleshed and relatable, the story and conclusion engrossing and interesting. The writing is occasionally a little muddy, but you are not overloaded by the technicalities of Bear's world, rather, they're introduced slowly. An excellent and enjoyable read. |
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